Time for the Faithful to Awake.....Some
Personal Reflections
By Simon Nahnybida
After participating in the celebration of St. Thomas's Sunday, (Providna
Nedilia) and observing several unbelievable occurrences, I have had time to
think and reflect about what is happening within our Church. I cannot understand
how most of our Church members either don't care, or underestimate and dismiss
the implications and potential outcome of what our bishops have done. Please
bear with me while I try to explain how serious the situation has become.
Our bishops have placed our Church under the jurisdiction of the
Ecumenical Patriarch. As everyone knows, that is very different from being
recognized by him. The Russian Orthodox Church, the Serbian Church, the
Rumanian Church, etc. (you can get a full list on several web sites), are all
recognized by him and visa versa, but none of them are under his jurisdiction.
They are all totally independent, as was our Church before the signing of the
Points of Agreement in 1995. Even the Greek Orthodox Church in Greece is not
under his jurisdiction. Only the Greeks in the diaspora are under his
jurisdiction, in addition to the Carpatho-Russians and the Ukrainians.
There was always a Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) under Greek
jurisdiction in the USA (Bishop Vsevolod, before him Bishop Kuschak before him
Bishop Bohdan Spilka). However, Vladyka Mstyslav never went under Greek
jurisdiction. Our parents could have joined the UOC under the Greek
jurisdiction, but didn't do so. My belief is that they didn't do so because
that Church was not independent, and did not support and nurture all of the
things that were important to them. In addition, the Greeks had a long and
consistent history of supporting the Russian Church.
Being under the Ecumenical Patriarch's jurisdiction (or anyone else's) is
against our Church Constitution. The first two article state that we are
autocephalous (independent) and equal to other Orthodox Churches. Clearly we
can not be equal and subordinate at the same time.
When our hierarchs state that all this was approved by the 14th and 15th
Sobors, they are not stating the whole truth (or in my terminology they are
being Clintonian). The 14th Sobor approved their actions but did so with
specific conditions, and relied on the forthrightness of the bishops'
statements regarding how this would help the Church in Ukraine. Those
conditions were never acknowledged or agreed to by the Ecumenical Patriarch.
And clearly this action did not help the Church in Ukraine (unless you consider
the church under the Moscow Patriarch). The 15th Sobor restated those concerns
and asked for answers in writing from the Patriarch. To the best of my
knowledge, no answers were received. (I personally do not think that the
conditions and concerns were ever presented).
Patriarch Bartholomew has stated over and over again that he recognizes
the jurisdiction of Moscow over the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Ukraine. That
was his position before our bishops signed the Points of Agreement, and that is
his position now. His position has not changed.
Our bishops have put themselves in a position where they cannot
concelebrate with bishops from Ukraine unless those bishops belong to the
Moscow Patriarchate. We can not dismiss this. Remember when Patriarch Dimitri
visited Bound Brook - he did not celebrate the Liturgy. (I was surprised that
no one pursued this at that time). When Archbishop Vsevolod went over to
'preside' over Patriarch Dimitri's funeral, he did not concelebrate the Liturgy
with the UAOC bishops, he presided at the burial service (read 'odpevanie' and
'panakhyda'). Contrast this to Vladyka Mstyslav's funeral Liturgy.
Our bishops can and do concelebrate with the Russians. A concrete example
is the Sunday of Orthodoxy when Metropolitan Constantine concelebrated in NYC
with Metropolitan Teodosius of the Orthodox Church of America (OCA) which was
given autonomy by Moscow. Vladyka Mstyslav always considered the OCA to be
created by Moscow to eliminate the national element of our church. He condemned
even meetings with their clergy, let alone any concelebrating. (See letter from
Metropolitan Mstyslav, March 19, 1981 to Fr. Chubenko and Fr Nakonechny).
Metropolitan Teodosius, by the way, frequently travels to Ukraine, where he
tells everyone that he is Ukrainian and that they should all belong to the Moscow
Church, since that is the only church that is recognized by the Ecumenical
Patriarch.
According to the Points of Agreement, all new bishops of our Church must
be approved by the Ecumenical Patriarch.
Our bishops have Greek titles - actually they have become Greek bishops.
In effect, out Church has joined Bishop Vsevolod's old Church (that was under
the Ecumenical Patriarch), and not the other way around.
One of the Points of Agreement states that our Church can not get
involved in any politics (read anything Ukrainian).
Our bishops have never explained Protocol 937 (other than to state that
they have never seen the original), where Patriarch Bartholomew states to
Patriarch Alexei of Moscow that our bishops have promised not to do anything to
help the UAOC in Ukraine. (If you need a copy of Protocol 937 - please look
elsewhere on this web site)
So far does any of this sound like something that Patriarch Mstyslav
would either do or approve?
Our bishops keep saying that they have completed what Vladyka Mstyslav
always wanted. Think about this - they are stating that Vladyka Mstyslav (a
Patriarch) wanted to be under the jurisdiction of another Patriarch. This is
absolute nonsense, and cannot possibly exist. In the Orthodox World the
Ecumenical Patriarch is the FIRST AMONG EQUALS. Vladyka Mstyslav wanted
recognition of our Church, not subjugation.
All efforts are being made to remove the 'Ukrainian' from the UOC-USA.
The most recent examples are the 'blue stickers' that were given out on
'Provody'. Everything was in English. Compare this to the stickers of the past.
How insulting to our older church members. Another example - the issues of The
Ukrainian Orthodox Word, how many articles do you see about or concerning
Ukraine but yet we get the latest news regarding Patriarch Alexij criticizing
the Ukrainian Government. (See Vol. L 4, April 2000 page6). You get the
picture.
Archbishop Anthony has said in public that the one goal of our Church is
to 'save souls'. But that is the goal of every Church. What makes our Church
unique? It is the very thing that they are turning away from -
"Ukrainianism". Without this element, there is no difference between
our Church and any other Orthodox Church.
I recommend that you look at the website www.saveouruoc.com. It has many
articles that you will find interesting. In addition, smorodsky's website,
www.smorodsky.com/holyascension, actually has posted the Clifton court case
documents, where one can read what Archbishop Anthony stated about the purpose
of our Church and the role that Russia has played in its history. Read this
public record and make up your own mind. I found his statements unbelievable,
insulting, and akin to what a Russian clergyman would state.
Many of our priests have come to me in private and have stated that they
agree with what we are doing, but are 'afraid' to say or do anything. Some of
them have written me supportive letters, asking that their content stay
private. I have begun to be fairly 'impatient' with them reminding them that in
the past the clergy were our leaders, they defended what was Ukrainian, and
risked their lives not just their livelihood.
My point is that this is a real struggle for the essence of what our
Church is about, and not just a case of some individuals disagreeing or one
parish objecting. I believe with all my heart that if the Clifton Parish loses
the court case, then a major battle will be lost to stop the pan-orthodox
faction from making our church a homogenous organization, not differentiated
from the OCA in any way. I will not and can not stand by silently while that
happens.
I ask - what would it take for our people to wake up? A bishop from
Moscow concelebrating the Holy Liturgy with Archbishop Antony in Bound Brook?
It is time to wake up.
signed.....Simon Nahnybida, Bound Brook, NJ
P.S.
It has been brought to my attention that St.
Andrew's Brotherhood was responsible for providing the blue Providna Nedilia
ribbons on May 7, 2000. Due to problems associated with printing of the
graphics the original printer was not able to print the correct version of the
ribbons. Therefore on an emergency basis St. Andrew's Brotherhood had to
contract a different printer.
Signed….Simon Nahnybida